I am Betty.
Because my name starts with a ‘B,’ I’m called Betty.
Until a little while ago, I was the one organizing the orphans in this country… in the slums of Biltria.
I’m a half-beast, don’t even know where I was born. A despised orphan.
But even among orphans, there were connections.
No, that’s not right.
Those who didn’t care about these connections are already dead.
Orphans are weak.
Not just physically, but we also lack wisdom and stamina.
We were used by the adults in the slums, forced to steal whatever they told us to, and then they took the best part for themselves.
The funniest part is that we didn’t even realize we were being shortchanged.
We didn’t understand, because no one ever taught us anything.
We thought it was normal for the adults to take things from us.
We didn’t even know the name of the country we lived in.
I’m not talking about the level of literacy or manners.
We orphans were not recognized as human beings, and we didn’t even possess the basic knowledge or skills that any person should have.
Then that person arrived.
Lord Exus came to us.
He taught us everything and gave us everything.
My brother… though we aren’t related by blood, Alan calls him ‘the Light,’ but when I first met him, I…
I thought he was ‘the Darkness.’
I’m not like Alan. I don’t see dreams or hope, nor do I believe in them.
The life of an orphan was truly horrible. We didn’t even realize how horrible it was, but somehow, I knew.
There were children on the main streets, protected by adults who for some reason were kind enough to call themselves ‘parents,’ laughing and living.
Not a day went by when I didn’t wonder, ‘What’s the difference between them and us?’
Why is it horrible? How is it horrible? I couldn’t even put it into words. I didn’t know the reasons, I couldn’t figure them out, and I didn’t even understand what it meant to investigate in the first place.
We just kept stealing, getting things taken from us, getting beaten, living day to day. Watching the younger kids and babies who didn’t have enough strength die off. All we could do was swallow our helplessness and ignorance.
Then one day, darkness descended upon that life.
A truly beautiful, yet terrifying figure.
Of course, I respect him. I am grateful. I even love him.
But I am so, so afraid.
His wisdom, his knowledge, his magic, his power.
It’s an endless abyss, a darkness without a bottom. The abyss itself.
He is the king of that darkness, and weak, small creatures like me could be crushed by him easily.
To keep dancing in the palm of his hand…
I understand.
Lord Exus is not like the filthy adults of the slums.
But Lord Exus…
If I go against his will, no matter how much I run or hide, no matter how much I apologize or beg for mercy, he will surely kill me.
And that’s what terrifies me.
…No, I’m not even afraid of dying anymore.
What I truly fear is disappointing Lord Exus…!
Because it’s terrifying, unnatural.
Lord Exus can do anything I can do.
Anything I know, Lord Exus knows as well.
I am dancing in the embrace of overwhelming, vast power, in the darkness… I have to keep dancing…!
I’ve heard the story.
A story from a foreign land that Lord Exus once told.
A being called ‘Shaka,’ also known as Gautama, surpassed human limits through endless training and became godlike.
They say Shaka is so huge, even just the palm of his hand is larger than a nation.
One day, a demonic being called ‘Seiten Taisei,’ who indulged in constant rampage, defied Shaka.
Seiten Taisei, with his magic, could leap over mountains and soar through the skies in a single night, and he wielded many other powerful spells. He was said to be the strongest being.
To humble Seiten Taisei, Shaka placed him on the palm of his hand and commanded, ‘Try escaping from here.’
Seiten Taisei, using his magic to fly across the sky, dashed away to a huge mountain…
But that mountain turned out to be just one of Shaka’s fingers.
That’s exactly how it feels.
No matter how strong or wise I become, I am still on Shaka’s, on Lord Exus’s palm.
Every day, I live in fear… of being crushed by this darkness.
Of being abandoned by this darkness.
Even though I know that even fearing this is an act of arrogance.
I’m fully aware of that.
But even so, I can’t help but be afraid.
Lord Exus loves us, he values us… but only because he believes we are ‘useful for now.’
What if he someday decides I’m ‘useless,’ and demotes me, or worse, abandons me…!
No, no!
I can’t bear to lose this warm darkness!
To never again be able to drowse in the embrace of the beautiful Lord Exus!
To lose this happiness!
I could never… never accept that!
…And that’s why I say:
‘Yes, Lord Exus. Yes, yes…’
‘Of course, I killed them.’
‘I will immediately transport the corpse to the homunculus factory, yes… thank you very much!’
So that I won’t be abandoned.
I started taking on dirty work, doing the things that others hate to do…
Excerpt from the Vita of Great Figures of the Kingdom of Biltoria
Betty Ruby
Born and raised in the slums of the Kingdom of Biltoria, Betty Ruby is a beastman. The surname “Ruby” is used for convenience, as she originally had neither a family name nor a noble title.
Within the Aurora Group, she was responsible for internal roles such as accounting and security, though the specifics of her duties remain unclear. Urban legends suggest that she oversaw the darker, secretive aspects of the Aurora Group, but the truth of this remains uncertain.
